One of the traditional forms of folktale in Indian literature is the "riddle" or "dilemma" story, which for hundreds of years was a popular form of entertainment. The way it works is, the teller asks a question at the end and the listeners attempt to come up with an answer. There is no correct answer, only different interpretations. It makes a great party game! Here are a couple of examples for you to try out on your friends.
   

 The Three Suitors of Mandaravati

In the city of Dharmasthala there lived a man named Keshava who was a Brahmana, a member of the priestly caste. He had a daughter, Mandaravati, who was celebrated throughout the land for her beauty and her many virtues. One day, three handsome young Brahmanas came to seek her hand in marriage. All three were equally qualified to be her bridegroom.

Mandaravati herself showed no preference for any one of the three suitors, expressing her willingness to marry whichever one her father might choose, so Keshava put them off as long as he could. Just when it seemed he would have to make a decision, his daughter was bitten by a venomous black serpent.

The finest doctors were called in, but to no avail. Mandaravati was dead by nightfall.

Keshava and the three suitors carried Mandaravati to the banks of the river to perform the last rites and cremation. As the fire was raging, one of the suitors jumped into the flames in grief and was burned to death. The second suitor built a little hut for himself on the spot and devoted his days to mourning his lost love. The third suitor renounced the world and became a wandering ascetic, a holy man who owned nothing and had no fixed abode, dependent on the kindness of strangers for the very food he ate.

After one particularly difficult day of travel, the foot-weary ascetic stopped outside the door of a Brahman household and asked for something to eat. The mistress of the house, the Brahmani, set a generous portion of food in front of him, and her husband, the Brahmana, sat down at his side. But just as the ascetic was about to start eating, a small child began crying loudly inside the house. Embarrassed in front of the holy man, the Brahmani went inside to attempt to quiet her screaming son, but none of her efforts met with success. Finally, with an exclamation of frustration, she flung him into the blazing kitchen fire.

Glimpsing this act through he door, the ascetic refused to eat. His host asked what was the matter, and he replied, "How can one possibly eat in a house where such crimes take place?"

"Stay here," said the host, and went inside to fetch a book. Opening it, he recited a mantra--a sacred phrase--and sprinkled a little holy water from the Ganges river on the hearth. The child sprang up out of the ashes. He appeared unhurt and unconcerned, and he began to play happily on the floor as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Upon witnessing this miraculous restoration the ascetic thought to himself, "If I could only get my hands on that book, I could restore my beloved to life."

Accordingly, he spent the rest of the afternoon just out of sight, and quietly slipped back into the house at midnight. He stole the book and hastened back to the spot where Mandaravati had been cremated.

The Brahmana suitor who was living on the site saw him and greeted him as a friend. "Did you acquire any new knowledge in your travels?" he asked.

"Yes, I did," the ascetic responded happily. "I acquired the knowledge of restoring the dead to life." He opened his book and recited the mantra, sprinkling the dead girl's ashes with river water. Mandaravati was instantly restored to life, and so was the suitor who had immolated himself on her funeral pyre. They both stood up, alive and well.

Now, all three suitors entered back into their old competition for Mandaravati's hand in marriage.

So here's the question:

Who is the proper husband for Mandaravati?
 

Background information about this story

 

 A Test of Generosity

Many years ago there lived a king's daughter who studied under a famous guru whose wisdom and abilities were an important asset to the local community. She was a brilliant student and a beautiful girl, and the guru fell in love with her. He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and his health began to decline drastically. The people didn't know what was wrong, but they were terrified they might lose him.

When it came time for her to leave his care and go home to her parents, she asked him what he would like as a parting gift.

"There is only one thing I want," blurted out the guru. "You must sleep with me, for I am dying for love of you!"

The princess, who had had no idea of his feelings, was taken aback. "I can't sleep with you," she told him. "I am about to be married, and I must be a virgin when I go to my husband."

"Promise that you will come back, then, and sleep with me after your marriage," he begged her, and, fearing for her dear guru's life, she promised that she would.

When the princess returned home, her parents married her to a handsome and charming prince. The bride and groom fell in love at first sight, but on their wedding night the bride began to weep. "What's the matter?" asked the prince.

"I made a promise that I wish I hadn't," replied the princess. "Please don't press me for details." Naturally, the prince did exactly that, and it wasn't long until she had told him the whole story.

"Clearly you must keep your promise," said the prince. "You must go back to your guru and sleep with him, even though it will be a dishonor for both you and me."

So the princess put on her best sari and her finest jewelry, and set off at once for the guru's house. On her way she met a thief. "Give me your all your jewels and clothing!" said the thief.

"I mustn't," she told him, and explained the situation. "I have to hurry to my guru," she said at the end of her account, "and if I come to him naked it will make the completion of my promise appear to be an insult. If you'll wait until I have finished with him and I am returning home, you can have everything."

"All right," agreed the thief, "I'll trust you. But I'll be waiting for you when you come back this way."

Next, the princess met a hungry tiger. "I'm going to eat you up!" said the tiger.

"Please don't," said the princess, and told her story again. "You can always eat me on my way back," she pointed out.

"All right," agreed the tiger, "I'll trust you. But I'll be waiting for you when you come back this way."

Next, she met a poisonous cobra. "Humans have always injured my family and fellow cobras!" hissed the cobra. "I have made a vow to bite any humans I encounter and kill them before they can kill any of us."

Once again, the princess explained her mission and offered to comply with the cobra's wishes on her way back from her guru's house. "All right," agreed the cobra, "I'll trust you. But I'll be waiting for you when you come back this way."

When the princess arrived at the guru's house, he was ashamed. Although his love for her still blazed as all-consuming as ever, when he realized that the beautiful young girl had come to him all alone along the dangerous roads--and on her wedding night, yet!--he knew he could never ask her to fulfill her promise. "Please return to your husband," he told her. "I free you from any obligation to me."

The princess touched his feet and, refusing any escort, headed back into the night. Soon she met the cobra, and offered herself for him to bite.

"I've changed my mind about biting humans and I have taken a new vow of nonviolence," said the cobra. "After you left me I found a big nest of birds' eggs and I was able to feed my entire family. I realized that you, a human, had brought me luck."

The princess thanked the cobra and hurried on until she met the tiger, and she offered herself up for him to eat.

"I no longer want to eat you, either now or later," said the tiger. "After you left me I came upon a goat and I had a wonderful meal. You brought me luck! Go in peace."

The princess thanked the tiger and hurried on until she met the thief, and she offered him her clothes and jewelry.

"Please keep your things," said the thief. "After you left me I ran into a party of wealthy, unarmed merchants and I knew that you had brought me luck. Go home now."

The princess thanked the thief and went home. She was met by her husband, who asked her no questions about her experience with the guru and lovingly welcomed her home as if nothing had happened.

So here's the question:

In the end, who was the most noble? Was it the guru, the husband, the thief, the tiger, or the snake? No, this is not a trick question. Obviously the valiant princess was the noblest of all, but for that very reason she isn't on the list.
 

Background information about this story